Re: Summer transfers speculation thread (all links in here until it's official)

[avfc85]

I'd be worried if don't get two quality additions in as we are short in key areas. Palace away has become a game we will be lucky to get a point from, 3 years ago they weren't. Even in our league. Since they have come up our record against them is shocking and they look even better this year , with some top class additions. Like it's been pointed out above there are very few easy points up for grabs these days if any, so we really need a proper game plan , our recruits to start gelling and getting up to speed and a top noth striker bringing in. We haven't actually spent that much with the money received from our exiting players, so we should be able to bring a couple more in.

It looks like Senderos is leaving, I think we need to shift Tonev and N'Zogbia and we'll bring in a couple more for sure.

[AstonThriller]

I'd be worried if don't get two quality additions in as we are short in key areas. Palace away has become a game we will be lucky to get a point from, 3 years ago they weren't. Even in our league. Since they have come up our record against them is shocking and they look even better this year , with some top class additions. Like it's been pointed out above there are very few easy points up for grabs these days if any, so we really need a proper game plan , our recruits to start gelling and getting up to speed and a top noth striker bringing in. We haven't actually spent that much with the money received from our exiting players, so we should be able to bring a couple more in.

"Our record against them is shocking"? Er didn't we take four points off them last season or did i miss something? And having watched them today Arsenal really should have scored five goals today...defensively Palace were ripped open time and time again on the break.

[avfc85]

I'd be worried if don't get two quality additions in as we are short in key areas. Palace away has become a game we will be lucky to get a point from, 3 years ago they weren't. Even in our league. Since they have come up our record against them is shocking and they look even better this year , with some top class additions. Like it's been pointed out above there are very few easy points up for grabs these days if any, so we really need a proper game plan , our recruits to start gelling and getting up to speed and a top noth striker bringing in. We haven't actually spent that much with the money received from our exiting players, so we should be able to bring a couple more in.

"Our record against then is shocking"? Er didn't we take four points off them last season or did i miss something? And having watched them today Arsenal really should have scored five goals today...defensively Palace were ripped open time and time again on the break.

It will be a tough game and we have the potential to get something from Palace but to try and carve an argument using Arsenal should of scored 5 does not mean we will, Arsenal's attacking prowess is like a Rolls Royce and we are like a Fiesta.

[South London Villan]

I think that the win at Palace last season was our first win at Selhurst Park since Dalian scored his wonder goal.

We have a terrible record at this ground, annoying as it is the only chance I get to walk to a game.

[Mazrim]

Their defence did not impress me today and we can easily get at them but we need to be on our game, obviously. They were also fortunate to win against Norwich, who should have had a goal and a penalty which may have seen them 3- 2 down. Not saying they're not a dangerous team but I think some of the praise they get is a bit overboard.

Also, Pardew is a horrible, shit-eating twat and I can't bring myself to credit him at all.

[AstonThriller]

It will be a tough game and we have the potential to get something from Palace but to try and carve an argument using Arsenal should of scored 5 does not mean we will, Arsenal's attacking prowess is like a Rolls Royce and we are like a Fiesta.

It was't just about Arsenal though...the palace back-line were making basic mistakes and getting caught out of position and having possession taken off of them over and over again.

[KMitch]

Am I the only one who thinks our defense is fine? I thought we were excellent on Friday. Amavi was fantastic, Clark was just as solid as he was last season, Richards showed he has been working hard in training on his positioning and decision making and could be great for us, Bacuna was good, going forward and defending, and Guzan was a rock. Everyone is calling for an expensive CB, but I don't see us moving for one, unless it's for a back up to replace Senderos. We have 4 players who can play right back right now (Bacuna, Hutton, Crespo, and Richards). It's the last position we'd buy someone for.

My biggest concern is for the creative midfield positions. Gabby is useless, Sinclair is extremely inconsistent, Gil is still untested, Grealish and Adama are young, and Cole is finished at this level. Unless 2/3 of Gil, Grealish, and Adama hit the ground running, we're going to struggle to create goals this season. Look how easily Manure stopped us going forward in the first half on Friday by pressing us in our own half. We couldn't get the ball through the midfield, so we started playing long balls, and quickly lost possession. Our team has looked lost for years now when they don't have time to play the ball out of the back. Better teams get around this by upping the tempo, moving a lot off the ball, playing one touch passes, and forcing the opposition to commit challenges. 2-3 missed challenges, and they will back off a bit with the press to give us some time on the ball. We don't do that. Instead, we dilly dally on the ball, until all the forward passing lanes are cut off, and the player with the ball is pressed, until he has to pass backward. This continues until Guzan has possession and has to punt it upfield.

I think we still need one more creative player, someone like Praet, who can give us another option if our creative contingent needs help. I still think we'll bring in Adebayor on deadline day, which is why the no 10 shirt is still available, but I think we need to give it to a different kind of player, someone who gets the crowd on their feet when he gets the ball and runs past players.

[Con]

We have the players to create chances. Given he would be new to the Premier League I don't think adding Praet will guarantee any more chances than Sinclair, Ayew, Gil, Adama and Grealish will provide. You could add Gardner to that list. Praet also won't want to come to Villa to be "another option" and Sherwood has already said Gil will get his chance this season. We have enough attacking midfield players.

What we need is a striker to finish off the chances we will create.

Kozak and Gestede are our only options. Both are unproven. Two aren't enough. I would bring in Adebayor or someone else.

[big ming]

According to VT, Nixon is linking us with Oulare again. His You Tube makes him look a bit like Benteke the 2nd!

If we did get him he would be a bit raw and certainly a risk .... but so was the original Beast.

Oulare the 1st anyone?

ps: pages and pages ago, I posted "Gestede anyone?" long before we signed him. Trying the same trick again to see if it works!!

[Trotters]

I think you can have all the creativity in the world from defensive midfield up to the creative lads, but if you don't have strikers with the brains to make intelligent moves, you're sunk.

Gabby - has no brain.
Ayew - too early to tell.
Gestede - by all accounts, needs the ball in the air from the wing.
Kozak - I'd like to see him have a run.

So we definitely need that striker who has a Footballing brain and can finish.

[FoxyAV]

Jerell Sellars - too early to tell (but has to be better than Gabby has been!).

[DelboyVilla]

Personally I would like to see 2 strikers brought in firstly being someone who knows where the back of the net is so either Austin or Afobe and secondly an all rounder like Oulare or if pushed Adebayor. We need people who can convert the chances that will be created by Gil, Grealish, Amavi and Adama.

I can live with what we have in all other positions.

[4BetLite]

Unless we spend decent money on a striker I cant see an improvement on what we have already. We need the flair players asap, Gil and Traore are untested but I'd throw caution to the wind and get them in fast.

Personally I want a new specialist RB and a world class GK, but with what we have if fit and ready i'd like to see the following taking into account that TS will stick with Bacuna and Guzan................

.................Guzan

Bacuna....Richards....Clark....Amavi

...........Westwood.......Gana

....Traore........Veretout........Gil

...........Gestede or Kozak


With Veretout given instruction to roam back to aid holding mids and push/pick passes for the flair players when can. Gil and Traore licence to go wide or switch and in particular Gil and Amavi to develop a link as I think they could be a match made in heaven.

Its a young, hungry and talented team that could do the business.

[avfc85]

Twitters rumours suggest we may be interested in signing Michu from Swansae)

[Dgrizzle7]

I think you can have all the creativity in the world from defensive midfield up to the creative lads, but if you don't have strikers with the brains to make intelligent moves, you're sunk.

Gabby - has no brain.
Ayew - too early to tell.
Gestede - by all accounts, needs the ball in the air from the wing.
Kozak - I'd like to see him have a run.

So we definitely need that striker who has a Footballing brain and can finish.

I agree, I'd liketo see sinclar play up front with Gestede his wasted outwide looks lost.

[Fpuppys]

Twitters rumours suggest we may be interested in signing Michu from Swansae)

Just seen this: http://elcorreoweb.es/deportes-betis/el-aston-villa-un-duro-competidor-por-michu-JC675830
Not sure if there is any truth in it TBH he spent last year on loan to Napoli and only played 3 games.

[FoxyAV]

Unless we spend decent money on a striker I cant see an improvement on what we have already. We need the flair players asap, Gil and Traore are untested but I'd throw caution to the wind and get them in fast.

Personally I want a new specialist RB and a world class GK, but with what we have if fit and ready i'd like to see the following taking into account that TS will stick with Bacuna and Guzan................

.................Guzan

Bacuna....Richards....Clark....Amavi

...........Westwood.......Gana

....Traore........Veretout........Gil

...........Gestede or Kozak


With Veretout given instruction to roam back to aid holding mids and push/pick passes for the flair players when can. Gil and Traore licence to go wide or switch and in particular Gil and Amavi to develop a link as I think they could be a match made in heaven.

Its a young, hungry and talented team that could do the business.

Not Traore, Gil and Grealish behind striker? I like that lineup though and I'd be going with Kozak. He made a lot of speculative runs into space in pre-season and I think Traore, Gil and Grealish need something like that. By all means bring on Ayew and Gestede as subs and bring them up to speed.

It will be interesting seeing how Sherwood copes with having three otherwise guaranteed starters (were it not for the fact we might not be able to accommodate them all at once) coming into the team. I wonder if we'll see all three of them in the U21 match tonight?

[smetro]

Proven goalscorer please - Urgently....

We have no one in the entire squad with a proven record of scoring goals in the PL. Personally, all these untested punts, and an ever increasing amount of wingers , is money misdirected IMO.

I would much prefer the goals of Bentke, than the combined goals of Ayew, Gabby, Gestede, ....

We should have gone for Charlie Austin, rather than a flurry of players @ £6-£7m - Benteke nor his goals have been replaced and that should be a massive worry for Sherwood.

[Villa_Dan]

Relying on 1 player for goals is terrible and I'd rather have 4 players chipping in 8 each than Benteke on his own any day of the week. 

Gestede should get 10-15 goals this season, Ayew if he gets up to speed probably 6 and Gabby about 2. That's Benteke's goals covered already. Bring in another striker and we'll be better off, that's without Traore or Vertout or Gueye or Gil or Sinclair. 

Spunking all our money on a Benteke replacement would've left us reliant on 1 striker for goals and if he got injured we'd be fucked.

[Villa_Dan]

As for Charlie Austin - how many teams needed firepower this summer? Villa, Newcastle, Swansea, West Ham. 

How many went for foreign talent over a proven Premier League goalscorer in Austin? All of them. 

There is something wrong with the Austin deal and no one is being told what.

[DaveAV1]

You're right Dan. I would have thought he'd have been snapped up by now. So it's either the money, the player himself or both that has put the brakes on any move so far. I would imagine QPR and Austin are possibly hanging on for a desperate taker towards the end of the month. I've heard he wants a top 6 team. Well I'd like the winning lottery numbers a couple of hours before the draw, but that's not going to happen either.

[Villa_Dan]

Who knows. 

I've heard a few rumours - that he wants a top 6 team, that he wants £85K a week (could these be the same rumour???), that he's got serious knee problems and also a very dodgy shoulder, that QPR's £15m valuation is way too high. 

Anyone one of these could be true

[DaveAV1]

Or all!

[DomAVFC]

Personally I'd rather see us spreading the goals about among the team as a whole than relying on one "proven quality striker", as we did when Benteke was here. It made us so one-dimensional that we became an easy-to-beat one-trick pony. Sherwood even got CLEVERLEY scoring last season  so I reckon he'll get our midfielders scoring more this season. Micah looks absolutely desperate to score from our FKs and corners too. The goals will come, I'm not hitting the panic button 2 games into the season.

That said, I would like it if Kozak was used more.

 

[Army villain]

We also need to move on the hangers on, and agree to use Kozak more.
Our old way of playing football was hoof ball up to Benteke, with the new midfield players they should be able to get goals.
And also agree Sherwood can motivate them to score goals, and yes it's only our second game of the season. Goals will come. UTV

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